API management platform and enterprise software architecture specialists SOA Software have announced a new partnership with digital commerce specialists Elastic Path, aimed at supporting enterprises to improve their digital sales funnels with the help of APIs. The news comes as pre-conference workshops get underway this afternoon (San Francisco time), and signaling how key API providers are already leveraging the start of API Strategy and Conference to share industry announcements.

ProgrammableWeb have previously documented Elastic Path's Cortex API, aimed at extending "hypermedia shopping experiences" across multiple devices. The new partnership with SOA Software, allows enterrprises to make use of the Cortex API as part of a commerce platform that also includes a commerce engine and subscriptions manager. With SOA Software, Elastic Path's commerce platform can be more easily plugged into an enterprise's API management platform, allowing seamless communications and - hopefully - commercial opportunities to flow.

Enterprises looking to create commercial ventures online and e-commerce businesses face significant barriers in optimizing the use of APIs to create high-value shopper experiences. The need to be able to manage realtime responses to shopper enquiries, and industry-wide difficulties with providing a fast interaction pace are two difficulties that any enterprise looking to set up a digital storefront needs to address.

Alongside these technical difficulties, the plethora of connected devices emerging in the Internet of Things means the digital touchpoints where enterprises can speak with would-be customers has also grown exponentially. SOA Software and Elastic Path are hoping their new partnership helps enterprises recognize the potential of these new digital channels. Quoted in the SOA Software/Elastic Path press release today, Elastic Path CEO, Harry Chemko, said:

“The explosion of mobile and connected devices is driving unprecedented demand for API strategies and enabling technologies. This partnership uniquely positions us to deliver rapid commerce solutions to monetize goods and content across every touchpoint.”

Both SOA Software and Elastic Path will be speaking more about their partnership at the API Strategy and Practice Conference this week. Andrew Lau from Elastic Path will discuss the hypermedia functionality of the Cortx API while Sachin Agarwal from SOA Software will present on how the commerce platform fits in to enterprise API strategies.

About the author:Mark Boyd
is a ProgrammableWeb writer covering breaking news, API business strategies and models, open data, and smart cities.
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